Keywords: Affect; Moral Norm Violation; Conventional Norm Violation; Core Moral Judgment; Sentimental Rules.
Out of their zeal to solve the antediluvian debate between reason and emotion, a group of philosophers have recently started to give much coverage to the role of affect, if there is any, in manipulating our moral judgment, drawing upon and themselves conducting folkpsychological research in the area of moral reasoning. Some of them are acclaimed Sentimentalists. But there are philosophers like Shaun Nichols who are on the lookout of some wherewithal to bridge the gap between reason and emotion. They contend that affect is a prime factor that enables us to distinguish moral norm violations from non-moral violations. Moreover, affect almost imperceptibly shapes the cultural viability of not just moral norms but also non-moral norms that engender abhorrence, if transgressed. The paper aims to capture some of their arguments in support of the hypothesis that affect shapes our ability to make moral appraisal.
More...Keywords: rationality; logicality; truth; consistency
The aim of this paper is to explore how the challenge to foundational notions like truth and consistency in mathematics is reflective of a change in our understanding of human rationality. Inflexible boundaries of a strong notion of rationality posit strict parameters, such as, truth-preservation and consistency. We show in this paper that the growing challenge to truth and consistency also reveals a shift from traditional normative understanding of rationality to a notion of a liberal rationality which grants allowance for both normativity and nonnormativity.
More...Keywords: strict implicatio; paradox; necessity; tautology
In order to find a solution for the paradoxes of material implication, C.I. Lewis introduces a new constant in the vocabulary of propositional logic, namely, the constant named strict implication. This constant has the role to symbolize the relation of deduction between the premises and the conclusion of an inference. Starting from the Aristotle’s analysis of inference, that the conclusion is necessarily deduced from premises, Lewis admits a modal interpretation for the strict implication. But, in this way, although the material implication paradoxes are eliminated, new paradoxes appear, namely, the paradoxes of strict implication. We can avoid this kind of paradoxes, admitting a different analysis of strict implication without a modal component. Strict implication can be reduced to material implication and the quantification of propositional variables.
More...Keywords: definability; paradox; self-reference; formal languages; limitation theorems; vagueness; Heidegger’s apory
This paper exposes some aspects of the way in which the selfreference and negation do generate the limitation results, both in the usual language (in the form of some paradoxical constructions) and in the formal languages (in the form of limitation theorems). These results can be analysed from the point of view of definability, by using two formal languages, one without negation and in which the semantic notions are definable, and a language with negation, in which the presence of semantic notions leads to paradox and therefore to in-definability results. A comparison with self-referential structures containing syntactic concepts reveals the asymmetry semantic-syntactic. Finally, as a case study, the analysis of Heidegger’s apory of tematization will reveal us that no mystery is involved in the idea of indefinability of Being; on the contrary, this apory, simply, has the structure of Russell’s schema.
More...Keywords: axiom; set; choice function; property of elements; subset; inclusion function; splitting field
This article approaches its subject in a philosophical manner. It has as objective to construct a first definition of the inclusion function based on the nature of elements of a set. The analysis is based on the Zermelo–Fraenkel axioms. The study mainly approaches an algebraic content. The interpretation of the construction and definition also requires an epistemological frame. We introduced a function: the “nonhomogeneous choice function”. This study is a first step. The next part of the study is the second definition of the inclusion function, with applications in interpretations on the nature of mathematical elements in the extensions of fields and in the splitting fields.
More...Keywords: Patriarch; emperor; political culture
The patriarch of Constantinople became an important political factor in the middle Byzantine period. Three aspects will be discussed: 1. Responsibility for the inauguration of the ruler, 2. Support of usurpations and political coups, 3. Mediation.
More...Keywords: Byzantine administration; municipal administration; fiscal administration; administration of domains; provincial administration; tax collectors
The article examines on the basis of the small number of essential literary and sigillographic evidence the scope and duties of the προνοηταί (as a terminus technicus) in the Byzantine administration. The earliest evidence comes from the 6th century, the latest from the 12th. Already in the Early Byzantine period the scope of their activities is fi xed: administration of domains and municipal and fi scal administration. Acting in the capacity of stewards of private and offi cial real estate these people were responsible for collecting and transmitting taxes to the responsible department, minus an allowance for themselves. Their colleagues in the municipal and provincial administration were revenue offi cers with special authority. In the provincial administration of the 11th the pronoetai were sometimes also ἀναγραφεῖς in their region. Till now we know only one example of a commander of a thema who was at the same time also a προνοητής (Eustathios Charsianites). The προνοηταὶ τοῦ δημοσίου (scil. fi scus) were authorized to exact outstanding taxes. A special case is the προνοητής of the alms-house of Michael Attaleiates in Rhaidestos, because he was the highest administrator of all its estates and dependencies. Normally the προνοηταί were administrators of a lower rank in the domains, subject to the οἰκονόμος or the κουράτωρ.
More...Keywords: Byzantine sigillography; Cherson; Crimea; Byzantine administration 9–11th century
In a new monograph N. Alekseyenko has collected the sigillographic material relevant to the administration of Cherson from the 8th through the 11th century. This volume forms the basis for our reevaluation of the problem of Cherson’s administrative history, especially the matter of a more precise dating of these sources. The 128 seals of Archontes of Cherson come probably from the period ca. 740 to ca. 840. We accept the hypothesis that there was always only one Archon, a kind of mayor in charge of the autonomous town – but in close contact with Byzantium. The small number of seals of Kyroi we prefer to date between ca. 840 to ca. 870, id est in the early years of the new thema Klimata / Cherson; he was subordinate to the Strategos. The 137 seals of the Strategoi of Cherson extend from the middle of the 9th century until nearly the middle of the 11th. Most of them were Protospatharioi. Not long ago the first seal of a Katepano of Cherson and Chazaria (1060/1080) came to light. A single seal type mentions an Ek Prosopou of Cherson (fi rst half of the 10th century). The 74 bullae of Kommerkiarioi stem from the second half of the 9th and 10th centuries. Only two fragments of seals mention Protonotarioi of the Mangana and of Cherson (second to third third of the 10th century). On the other hand there are 3 seals of a Pater Poleos, one type of an Ekdikos and some seals of Proteuontes, all from the 10th century and relating to persons who served as municipal agents.
More...Keywords: Skylla; Sculpture; Hippodrome; Harbour; Fountain
The Skylla group was among the most famous bronze sculptures installed in the hippodrome at Constantinople. This paper suggests that the Skylla was a feature of Constantinople at its re-foundation, but perhaps originally stood facing the Bosphorus. In around AD 400 it was moved to the hippodrome where it stood until its destruction in 1204, and where it may for some time have served as a fountain.
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